Organizations: Advisory Board – Chatham University Business and Entrepreneurship Department

Mentors and how have they assisted you in your career: I’ve been fortunate to have many mentors throughout my career, however, my first mentors were my parents. My dad was an entrepreneur and taught me that you can think outside the normal way of doing business. My mom, also an entrepreneur, helped me to understand that you should spend time doing what you love. Currently, my husband David helps me maintain perspective and keep focused on the critical path. Professionally, Dave Redick assists me in understanding how to navigate uncertain situations and be an influential leader.

What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date? Overall, I am very proud of our customer service team and their daily efforts to lead the transformation in becoming more customer focused at retail. Recently, we did a campaign that celebrated the kindness and empathy of our team members. It was a very special project, as it was cascaded through the entire organization and highlighted our core values. The purpose was to remind us all to maintain perspective, and to be kind when people seem difficult or distracted. Having team members tell us how much the campaign made them think about others, and the impact is made on them was very rewarding.

Most challenging part of your job: The most challenging aspect of my job is having the patience for change to happen. Culture change does not happen overnight. It takes time and the effort of many people understanding and having the desire to change to behave in new ways. When I do see it happening and see our measurements improve, I know we are doing the right things.

Advice for upcoming younger executives: Sometimes your career will take you places that you didn’t intend. By accepting different challenges, you will know what is a good fit and what isn’t. Career paths aren’t always linear, and sometimes you have to move laterally or down to move forward. Doing what you love, and feeling a sense of purpose is what matters most.

Women of Influence

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